Elevator door



A April'16, 1929. J. A.v scHwElG nLnvA'ron Doon Filed llay 5, 1928 Patented Apr. 16, 1929.

UNITED STATES,

emigrar oFFic ticas-a yJULIU'S A. SCI-IVEIG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ELEVATOR DOOR.

Appiicanoii sied May e, 192s. serial No. 274,1591.

This invention relates to counterbalanced vlire-proof freight elevator doors of the passtype wherein the top and bottom sections of 'each door are arranged for vertical sliding movement in different planes so that the upper section of the door on one Hoor slides past the lower section of the door on the floor above, while the lower section slides between theV wall in which the dooropening is formed and the upper section of the door on the floor below; and the invention relates more particularly to the meansfor closing the space between the wall and the upper section of a door in the closed position of adjacent doors to prevent passage of flames, smoke and waterthrough said space in the eventof lire.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a simple and eiiicieiit'tire stop for closing the space het-Ween the top of the upper door section and the wall in the y 'closed position of said section which will not interfere with the upward movement of the upper section or the downward movement of the lower section of the door located on they in operative position when doors on adjacent floors are closed; it also consists in means, operated bythe opening movement of either of said adjacent doors, for unlockingsaid fire stop; and it also consists in the parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accoinpanying drawings, which forni part oil this specilicati'oii'and wherein like symbols refer to likel parts wherevei lunnecessary to illustrate it in detail.

they occur;

Fig. l is a vertical section through an elevator shaft, showing the doo-r openings on adjacent floors equipped with, counterbalanced pass-type doors provided with fire stops embodyingmy invention; Y Y

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-section showing the adjacent portions ofthe upper door section vof one Hoor and `sections C and D The invention consists in4 means for automatically locking the fire stop the lower door lsection of the floor located thereabove, said doors' and said fire stop being shown in closed position;

Fig. 3 is across-section similarto Fig. 2 showingone of the sections of adjacent doors opened in overlapped relation and the fire ,stop unlocked and swung open V l y Fig. 4 is an inside view of the corner portions of` the two door sections shown in Fig.

2; andy 5 is a horizontal cross-section through one side of the. door opening, the section being taken above the tire stop on the line lll 2.

Referring to thev accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in Vconnection with an elevator shaft A' whose. door openings B are equipped `with couiiterbalanced lire proof freight elevator doors ofI the pass-type.

. This construction ofdoor comprising upper and lower sections or panels C and D, respectively, located in the elevator shaft'and a1- raiiged `for vertically slidinginevement in different planes, so that the upper section C of one door and theV lower section'Dof the door located on the floor above are adapted to move into overlapped relation when either of vsaidfdoors'is opened.y As shown in the drawing, the VAupper and 'lower sliding' door of each door are provided along each vertical edge with an langle bar yframe member l slidablyarranged between angle bar guides 2, which extend substaiif tiallythe entire height ofthe elevator shaft and are rigidlysecured to each other and to the adjacentjainb members 3 ofthe door openings. The upper and lower door sec tions are connected together and movably suspended from theframe work of theelevator shaft by the usual counterbalancing means (not shown)l whereby the two 'sections i iiiove simultaneously in opposite directions when the door is opened enclosed. This passtype counterbalaiiced liiepioof elevator door construction is well known and ,is considered p Mounted .on the-top angle 4 of each upper door section C foreach door opening isa fire stop E which serves to normally close the .spaceV between 'said section' Vand the adjacent .section Awhic-h V.iveiztends along thevtop of the upper door section from side to side thereof and is arranged with one flange up and extending across the gap between said section and the wall of the elevator sha-ft and with the other flange down and terminating adjacent to the upper edge of said door section. The angle-shaped fire stop or lintel is pivotally supported on top of the upper door section for vertical swinging movement thereon preferably by means of butt hinges 6 having one leaf secured to the underside of the top flange of the fire guard and having the other leaf secured to the inner face of the upstanding flange of an angle bar 7 whose other flange rests on and is rigidly secured to the top angle of saidnpper door section. The pivotally supported fire stop is normally held with its top flange in a Vsubstantial horizontal position and extending across the space in the up:

per door section of the wall in the elevator by means of a counterweight 8 in the form of a strip of metal `secured to the inner face of the depending flange of said fire stop.

adjacent floors7 the pivotal fire stop is locked in position to close the gap between the upper section and the wall by means of a gravity lock in the form' oi a latch arm 8a mounted on each end of the fire stop. As shown in the drawing, the latch arm 8a at each end of the fire stop is pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement between `the vertical sideV flanges of a channel-shaped bracket 9 whose web portion is riveted or otherwise rigidly secured flatwise to the inner faceof the depend-V ing flange of said fire stop. The npstanding flange of the angle 7 terminates short of each end thereof so esito provide space for the lat-ch arm 8? and its supporting bracket 9. At each end of the upstanding flange the angle is notched out to forni an abutment flange 1() otre-duced height whicliextencs beneath the latch arm Sa and cooperates with a depending hook portion 8b that overhangs the edge of said abutment flange and thus prevents downward swinging movement of top flange of said fire-stop in the closed position thereof. The Jfree end ot the latch is made heavy enough to hold the saine down in Y the flange 10. 1f desired, the latch may be held down on the abutment flange 10 by pressure exerted by a spring 1l Vi.ntt-n'pesed between the opposing faces of said catch andV the web of the supporting bracket therefor. As shown in the drawings, one end of the spring 11 is mounted in a recess provided therefor in the latch arm and the other end' thereof seats in a recess provided therefor in the'webjot` the supporting bracket. y

The latch is swung upwardly to d'sengage the hooked end thereof from the flan 10 to permit downward swinging movement of the horizontal flange of the lire stop bv means of a lifter lever 12 mounted for vertical swinging movement inthe. eh annel-shaped bracket infos depending arm 13 vextending downwardly along side of said latchv arm between two pins l'll--lll which project horizontally from the adjacent side thereof. r'he other arm l5 or the lifter lever extends inwardly beneath the horizontal top flange of the lire stop and terminates in an opstanding end portion 15 whichexteiids through an elongated slot 1G provided therefor in said top flange. A shoe 17 is secured to each end of the lower door section of a door immediately above the upwardly projecting free end portion 15"L of the lifter lever 12 of the'iire stop mounted on the upper section of the door on the floor located therebelow. As shown in the drawings, said shoe 17 preferably comprises a channelshaped member having one flange secured te the side rail of the lower door section by means of bolts 18 which `pass through the veri tical slots 19 providedtheiefor in said side ln the closed positions of elevator doors on rail whereby said shoe is vertically adjustable on said door.

By the arrangement described, when the doors on adjacent floors are closed7 the fire vcausing said lever to swing downwardly and force the depending arm thereof against one of the pins 14 on the side of the latch arm $5a and thereby cause said arm klo swing upwardly and the hook iioition 8b thereoflto become disengaged from the abutment flange 10 at the end of the iipstanding flange of the angle 7 on top of the door section. Upon release of the latch arm further upward sliding movement of said upper door section causes the top flange of the fire stop to engage the shoe 17V and Athus cause the lire stop Vto swing on its hinge and permit the upper door section to slidepast the lower door section located thereabove. It is noted' that the latch arm has a curved surface Q() at its `outer end which is disposed eccentric to the pivotal airis oi.2 theV fire stop, whereby said surface grad-A ually approaches the topV edge of the abutment flange 10 during the opening movement of the hre stop andlinally contacts with said edge in the fully opened position of said fire stop to irevent further outward swinging movement thereof. 1t is also noted that in the open position of the lire stop ythe latch arm bears against the top edge of the abutment flange 10 yand'against the inner face of the fire stop and is thus held against swinging movement vin such position ofsaidstop. In the open position'of the fire stop and'latch arm, the lifter lever l2 is also held against4 yand located on opposite sides of the arm i8 oli said lever, thereby preventing the door sec-- tion from engaging said lever in the open position of said fire stop. During the opening of the door the lower door section also moves downwardly and strikes the litter lever on the .fire stop carried by the upper section of the door located on the floor therebelow, thereby unlocking said lire stop and permitting the same to swingV downwardly and permit the lower door section to pass between the upper door section and the elevator wall.

The herein described lire stop has numerous advantages. lt serves to close the space between tlie upper door section and the elevator wall; it is automatically locked in closed position when the doors are closed, and cannot be swung open by back drafts or by the pressure oli water; and it is automatically unlocked byv the opening movement of said doors. It is of simple, economical coiistiuction and may be quickly and easily applied to the doors without substantial alteration thereof.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A pass-type lire'door construction comprising two sections slidable in dierent vertical plaiies, a fire stop for automatically closing the space between the wall in which the door opening is formed and the section more remote from the wall when doors on adjacent floors are closed, means for automatically locking said lire stop in closed position when adjacent doors are closed, and means whereby the locking means for said fire stop is released by the opening movement of either of said adjacent doors'.

2. A pass-type door construction comprising upper and lower sections, a lire stop for automaticallyr closing the space between the wall in which the door opening is formed and i the upper section when both doors are closed,

means for automatically locking said tire stop' in closed position when adjacent doors are closed, and means whereby the locking means -iior said lire stop is released bythe opening` movement of either oi said adj aceiit doors.

3, A pass-type door construction comprisiiigu'pperv-aiid lower sections, a lire stop pivotally supported on the upper section for closing the space `between the-wall in which 'the .door opening is formed and the upper section wlienboth doors ai'e closed, a latchpivotally vsupported on said `fire Vstop for'locking the 'saine to said section inclosed 'position when both doorsare closed, and a lifter lever pivot-l ally mounted onl said lire stop and for disengaging said latch from said section, said lifter latch pivotally mounted on said lire stop and adapted to cooperate with saidsection to lock said fire stop in closedposition, and a lifter lever pivotally mounted on said lire stop in position to release said latch upon engagement with the lower section of the door located'thereabove.

l 5. A pass-type door construction comprising upper and lower sections, a fire stop pivotally mounted on the upper section for noi'- inally closing the space between thewall in which the door opening is formed and the uppei` section, means for normally maintaining saidire stop in closed position, a. latch arm pivotally mounted on said tire stop and adapted to cooperate with the upper section to pre- .vent opening movement of said fireV stop, a

lever pivotally mounted on said fire stop and having one arm cooperating with said latch arm to move the latter into and out of latching position, the other arm of said lever being located lin position and operated by engagement with the lower section kot the door located thereabove. Y i

' 6. A pass-type fire door construction comprising two sections arranged in Vdifferent Y vertical planes, the topv section being spaced ar enough away from the wall in which the door opening is formed to permit the upper.

section of said door and the lower section of a similar door on thefloor above tovmove into overlapped relation when either olf said doors is opened, a lire stop carried by said upper section and movable into a position to close the space betweenthe upper section and the wall when both of said doors are closed, means for locking said lire stop in closed position when both doors are closed, and means for unlocking said fire stop topermit the upper section and the lower section oiz the'door `on the floor-above to move int-o overlapped relation.A l l l 7. A pass-type fire door construction comprising upper and lower sections slidable in different vertical planes, a fire stop pivotally mounted on the upper section for normally closing the space between thel wall in which the door opening is formed and said upper section, `a gravity latch pivotally mounted on said fire 'stop and adapted to cooperate lll) with said Lipper section to loclr said fire stop in y closed position, a lifter lever pivotally mount- Ved on'said fire stop for releasing said latch, and a shoe adjustably mounted on said lower section in position to engage e, similar lifter levez` on tlie uppei section of the door on the Hoor below. p

V8. A pass-type door Construction comprisintgr upper` and lower sections, a iie stop pivotally mounted on the upper section for non mally closing` the space between the Wall in which the dooi1v opening is formed and tlie upper section, means for normally maintaining said lire stop in closed position, a leteh arm pivotally mounted on said fire stop and adapted to cooperate with the upper` section to prevent opening movement of said lire stop, 2 1 lever pivotally mounted on said fire stopl and having one arm cooperating with seid lziteh arm to move the latter into and out ot latening positionitlie other arm of said lever being` located in position and operated by engagement with the lower section of the door 'located tliereabove, and means for preventing engagement between seid lever and said last mentioned door section in the open position of said re stop.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 30th day of Apr., 1928.

J ULIUS A. SCHVVEIG. 

